Henry Colman (1785-1849) was an American Unitarian minister
and agricultural writer who often preached in Salem,
Massachusetts. This letter was apparently written during his European tour, which lead
to the publication of his collected letters from Europe in 1849.

London, 18 Sept. 1846

Luther Tucker Esq.

My dear Sir,

I have been some time intending for
myself this pleasure but there is everything to be found in
this great city excepting time; and of that, of those who have
anything to do, I don't know who has a supply. . .

The great political ( ) matters on this side of the
water must be of immense importance to the United States.
There will be a quick demand for all the produce, which is
likely to come. The best informed and the most judicious and
sagacious men are not without alarm for a very serious scarcity
of food. The utter failure of the potato cropin Ireland is
determined and the consequences are frightful to contemplate.
It is quite general here; and I hope the alarm in regard to the
disease among the turnips in the North is premature. The crops
of oats and barley are now large -- wheat is more than average;
but there will be no surplus, and there is anticipated a very
large demand for breadstuffs upon the Continent. Thank God
there is now peace between the two countries and that instead
of cutting each other's throats they now propose to employ
their natural energies much more wisely, in covering each
other's backs and filling each other's stomachs. . .

My dear Sir, I shall be most truly happy once more to
have the pleasure of shaking you by the hand. I beg you to
present my respects to our ( ), Mr. Bennett and Mrs. O'Reilly.